Things are looking up despite the doom and gloom scenarios painted by the naysayers of the dark side. Iraq has been liberated. Saddam has been captured and will be brought to justice. Terrorist attacks are down world-wide. Terrorist states are surrendering their WMD (Libya) and or are taking notice (Syria) and or are cooling their heels (North Korea). The effects of the tax cut are kicking in. The economy is booming and the stock market is soaring. Manufacturing is accelerating. Employment is gaining.

According to a Wall Street Journal poll, economists are expecting 4.5% growth in the first quarter with growth rates north of 4% continuing in the second quarter and throughout the year. Corporate profits and hiring are expanding and picking up. Unemployment rates are expected to fall to 5.5% by November and 1.5 million new jobs could be created.

Inflation is checked, interest rates are at historic lows, tax rates have been cut and more cuts are expected. Capital is pouring into the markets, housing is up, business is booming and people are going back to work. With the booming economy, tax receipts will increase to the U.S. treasury and, likewise, receipts to state and local governments will increase, diminishing the size of the expected deficits.

The new year is looking to be a great year. And this is an election year.

The Democrats are in disarray and are scrambling to find viable candidates. Shock and awe has overtaken the dark side and, unfortunately for them, their leading contenders have become even more anti-American as a result and are leaning even further to the left. Their acerbic attacks on President Bush's successes are sounding more and more shrill and desperate and feeble. Their doom and gloom predictions have fizzled and they have no platform to stand on. Appeasement does not work. Communism does not work.

God willing, and short any drastic political reversals, President Bush should easily be re-elected. And the Republican majorities in Congress and in the state legislatures should continue to grow. It IS a shining new morning in America.

Thank God!

And I expect Free Republic to be a very busy site this year. Free Republic is THE place to get the very latest in breaking news and conservative commentary and activism. I expect our membership and chapter activities will continue to expand as our members get more and more involved in campaigning and supporting our conservative candidates and positions.

Our budget requirements this year are about the same as last year. We will be needing about $60,000 per quarter. Travel expenses may increase a bit, if my plans for a nation-wide tour come to fruition, but later in the year our $3,000 per month legal bill will finally be paid off. On other fronts, we are negotiating a settlement with the City of Fresno in regards to their libeling our Fresno Chapter and that looks to be coming out well.

If all goes well, I hope to see many of you during the year and then again at the Free Republic George W. Bush Inaugural Ball II in Washington, D.C. next January! Woo hoo!!

Thank you all very much for your continued support for Free Republic and our conservative causes!

I have a request, though. During the last fundraiser at the DUmp, the meter used to measure donations had the "goal" of punching the president and veep in the face. Can we please do something like that with our meter?

12
posted on 01/02/2004 1:06:48 PM PST
by WinOne4TheGipper
(This tagline has been timed to best benefit George W. Bush.)

'You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream--the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order -- or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. Plutarch warned, "The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits."'

'... You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.'

Ronald W. Reagan, "A Time For Choosing", 27 Oct 1964.

Reagan was the best. Bump for FreeRepublic.

15
posted on 01/02/2004 1:09:05 PM PST
by 4CJ
('Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.' - T. J. 'Stonewall' Jackson)

When I would click the NONUS button, the button would change to UNITED STATES.

When I tried to go forward with the process, it would demand that I complete the question in RED--the country item--when I would scroll the countries available, USA OR AMERICA OR UNITED STATES did not seem to be available.

I tried a number of tricks and could not seem to get beyond that stuck point. I would like to go ahead with the donation but don't know what to do at this point other than hassle with a check. Is there any way I could still do the card donation?

Bless you and yours this new year.

17
posted on 01/02/2004 1:10:50 PM PST
by Quix
(Particularly quite true conspiracies are rarely proven until it's too late to do anything about them)

Thanks. I'd rather avoid PayPal as much as I can. It's probably quite OK. But there's just been too much noise about funny things with some aspects of it for me to be 100% comfortable with it. I do have an acct there.

30
posted on 01/02/2004 1:21:55 PM PST
by Quix
(Particularly quite true conspiracies are rarely proven until it's too late to do anything about them)

Pity. I put in my biggo 10.00 by credit card, but I would use Paypal if I could. Actually Dad slept on the couch because he wouldn't let me be a monthly donor, until I got a cup for Christmas. I think he would let me donate anyway!

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